The Chase
by Birds-of-Burgundy
Summary: ‘Serenity’ The whisper was a seductively soft brush of velvet against her mind, and she felt her belly fill with languishing heat at the sound of it. The urge to come to him was strong, and it took everything she had to keep where she was. ‘Endymion’
1. Chapter 1

Hi again. This story just came to me the other night and I really wanted to get started on it. I think I'm gonna concentrate on this particular story for the time being because I'm really excited about it (I hope you are too!). But don't worry; I got the whole summer to work on my other stories. 

**Summary:** Serenity, born a Loki princess of an ancient and powerful wolf race, fled from her pack to live as a human. Five years later, and going by the name Usagi now, her life seems to have hit that point of perfect she'd never assumed she'd have. Her small advertising company is booming beautifully and has just landed a major client, she's getting married to her fiancé of one year in June, and she feels she's finally buried her past, and starting over new. But late one night she finds her past just won't stay buried, as Endymion, feared Loki King, comes calling to collect what's rightfully his, what was promised to him; Serenity. He begins to play a dangerous game of seduction that could very well destroy her fiancé and the happy life Serenity's tried so hard for. It might even drag her back to very place she promised never to go back too; her pack, and her wrathful father.

**Side Note**: when you see a group of words with 'these' surrounding them, it means they are speaking in thoughts.

* * *

THE CHASE 

Chapter 1

Usagi found herself waking up -at what had nowbecome her 2 am ritual for the last three years- with more intense pain than usual. What was usually just a light prickling across her chest and along her arms was now a tight stitching that burned her entire body. She needed to change, and she needed to change now.

She threw the soft, white comforter she lay under off her roughly, and was almost leaping out of bed before she realized that her rushed movements would end up waking her fiancé; who lay sleeping next to her.

For one horrific moment she thought he had, but he only turned over onto his side with a snore. She would have smiled, but the pain had increased to a constricting pulse that left her body rocking lightly in spasms; she let out a tiny grunt of discomfort instead.

She got up as quietly as she could, but her slow movements were torture, and if she didn't get out soon, she'd end up changing right here on the bedroom floor. Then the shit would really hit the fan, because the sound of tearing muscle and crunching bone would definitely wake her fiancé up; and Motoki wasn't ready for the sight that would greet him when he did.

'When do you think he'll be ready?' an ugly voice hissed with angry sarcasm inside her mind, 'When you're on your honeymoon? After you have his first child? Will he ever really be ready?' But now wasn't the time for an argument with her conscious just now.

Once she had slipped out through the bedroom door, she picked up her pace. She exited the apartment in only her cotton panties -ones with a print of happy bunny pointing to his ass where a pair of lips resided- and a thin white tank top; she didn't have time to think of putting on anything else. That was just as well.

She took the stairwell, which was thankfully deserted, and raced down the steps five at a time. She pushed past two swinging doors, leading through to the basement parking structure, and began to sprint at blurring speeds. When she found herself in the ally behind her apartment she stopped abruptly and fell to all fours.

She felt her body begin to shift, and while most would have assumed the pain to become completely unbearable by this point, the tight pressure of pain had actually begun to ease. When the change had completed, there was now standing a large and elegant wolf in place of Usagi.

Her coat was full and thick, almost silky in texture, and unnaturally silver; underneath the moonlight it glinted with lovely lavender highlights. Her conditioned shape promised speed and agility, but the prominent muscles in her hind and fore legs promised strength.

Her ears were overly large, like those of a German Shepard, which gave her a slightly more playful look, and her tail resembled more a fox's then that of a wolf's. Her muzzle was slim, long, and offered a powerful, deadly bite. But it was her eyes, a dazzling frosty-blue surrounded by a thin, bright rim of glittering gold that seemed to be her most entrancing feature. Inside them smoldered a chilling intelligence and a dangerous cunning. There was also, deep down, a hint of cruelty.

She let out a low growl; the smell of human was strong in her nose and left her uneasy, even after three years of the same thing. There were other smells too, both here in the alley and as far off as three blocks away, and all of them together made the wolf in her, anxious and nervous.

She trotted to end of the alley, with her ears strained forward, and peered out cautiously, even though she had already scented that the road was empty. When her eyes had confirmed it, she bounded out and cut across the street. She would take to the ally ways, traveling up toward the northern end of Cedar Hills suburbia, where a large, woodsy park resided.

She found getting there to be effortless, with all the streets clear of early morning strollers and only one speeding car to be careful of, and stray animals had been smart enough to leave her alone. But only when she was standing in the dewy, fresh grass of the park did she feel all of her built up tension release.

She breathed in deep through her nose and the smell of rich, rutted pine, sweet honeysuckle, and freshly turned earth, almost had her in delirious excitement. She saw everything in stunning, beautiful color and clarity, as if she were looking at everything through a microscope.

All her life this was what she had loved most about the change, the superior senses, and how she felt completely connected to nature and those who lived among it. She sprang forward in a sprint, and let out a joyous howl as she rushed past the open space of lush grass and into the closed off density of the tress.

She let the wolf's instincts guide her, take over her thoughts, and take control. She sprang over fallen logs and dashed through various branches and shrubberies with a soundless ease. She moved with an exhilarating swiftness that left her feeling weightless; like she were flying rather than running. She slowed down when she came to a small clearing, where a six-inch wide stream trickled through it, and bent down to gulp a few mouthfuls of sweet tasting water.

Her ears came forward at the rustle of movement behind her to the right, and her nose picked out the scent of a full-grown hare hiding in a shrub not to far away. Her mouth began to salivate and a hunger burned in her belly. She hunkered down low on her fore paws, shuffling forward only a little, and waited.

The hare scooted out of a berry bush a minute later, and when it took notice of her, it dashed back up the way she had come. She gave chase instantly, inhaling its fear like you would sweet wine, and nipped at its tail.

The hare was fast, but she was faster, and she brought it down in a matter of minutes by locking her teeth deep into its haunches. It gave a high squeal, but she gave it a rough shake in her mouth that had its neck snapping.

She carried the rabbit in her mouth as she trotted up to the edge of the trees where it met with the wide-open field. She looked over her surroundings lightly, her spirits high, and found no one. It was when she had just begun to settle down and enjoy her snack that she suddenly caught the sharp and knowingly familiar scent of another wolf nearby. The rabbit fell from her mouth, which was now drawn back in snarl, and a deep, angry growl rose from her throat in a warning.

The scent was gone, as if it hadn't been there at all, and she wanted to be wrong, hoped that it would turn out to be all in her mind, but she knew better. She kept low to the ground, her ears pinned back to the sides of her head, and her whole body was wound up like a spring, ready for attack. But if it was _him_, what was the point, when she would only lose.

Her fears were confirmed when a moment later a huge, black wolf slinked out from the shadows just a few feet ahead of her. Its eyes were a hypnotizing dark Caribbean blue, with small flecks of gleaming bronze in them. They looked down on her with an expression of cool amusement, and something else; a darkening desire.

'Serenity'

The whisper was a seductively soft brush of velvet against her mind, and she felt her belly fill with languishing heat at the sound of it. The urge to come to him was strong, and it took everything she had to keep where she was.

'Endymion'

She answered back in a sneer, but she could feel him laughing at her. She let another growl trickle out at his taunting.

'You sound displeased to see me," he came forward only a step, "but your arousal, tells me something altogether different.'

She stayed quiet, but it was all the answer he needed. She wanted to inch back as he subtly made his way toward her, but her pride wouldn't let her. She stayed where she was, practically frozen, as he continued to talk in a sort of conversational way.

'It's been awhile, and I can see how you'd be surprised to me, but you didn't think I'd stay away did you? You must have known that I'd find you?' His tone was largely mocking and only slightly curious.

Deep down she had known, known all along that eventually he would come for her, but five years with no sight of him had her foolishly believing he had given up searching. And now it was too late to do anything about it; but she promised, that the only way she'd be coming home, was dead.

'Oh, it won't come that' he placated, sounding completely sure of himself, 'but speaking of home, your father sends his love.'

She bristled at the mention of her father, who hadn't known how to love his whole life, all four hundred years of it.

'I'd rather you didn't speak of him,' she bit out in concealedanger,'as you most of all, know about the discontentment between us'

He gave a small, accepting nod, and proceeded to stalk closer to her. 'I'd rather talk about you anyway'

She felt her body quiver excitedly at his words, and he looked her over carefully, almost ravishing her with his eyes. The heat in her was spreading, leaving her in a heady, hazy state of mind. Her limbs felt heavy, weak, and she wasn't sure she could take off even if she wanted too.

'You've obviously done well in the last few years' he had now come tostop an inch or so from her, 'and you still look as beautiful as ever'

She didn't say anything, couldn't, because he had lowered his head to rub his muzzle against the soft fur of her exposed throat and along the sides of her neck, and behind her ears. It was a vulnerable position for her, but she'd been too caught up in his enticing movements to care. Strong and enticing images rose up in her mind to overpower her; and aspicy scene of them in human form, making love right here among the trees and glittering stars, played out before her eyes.

She lay on her back underneath him, kissing and nipping at his hard expanse of sculpted chest. His hands came up to tangle in the glorious golden strands of her hair, pulling her up gently to roughly kiss her mouth. Her hands trailed hot fire as they slipped down the sides of his stomach and across his back and shoulders, her fingernails scraping deliciously into his skin as they did. She brought her hips up to grind against his erection in a slow fever, and he moaned in surprised pleasure. And then suddenly he was pressed deep inside her, rocking at a tantalizing, almost maddening slow pace in an effort to get back at her, before picking up his speed.

She pulled back from the sensual images as if she'd been doused in ice-cold water, and was left reeling from the vividness of it all. Part of her was still willing to let him have his way with her, wanting it just as badly as he did. But then she remembered her fiancé, who was sleeping soundly at home believing his future wife to be faithful, and she became absolutely infuriated with herself.

She rushed at Endymion then, using all of her strength to knock him over on his side. It was easy, Endymion having been completely unprepared for it, and she pinned him down using all of her weight. She sunk her teeth into the vulnerable flesh of his throat, keeping just enough pressure to make it uncomfortable but not necessarily painful.

'One wrong move will cost you your life' her voice was angry and full of promise, 'So I suggest you hear what I have to say'

'I'm listening' his voice was thick with desire and need, and she felt herself responding to it automatically; she pushed her own desire down with a hard, mental shove. He didn't seem too overly concerned that she could kill him in an instant if she chose.

'Things have changed Endymion' her voice reasoning now 'I no longer follow the rules of our kind, and I want nothing to do with them; and especially you. I don't belong to you anymore. I never did.'

'Nothing's changed Serenity,' the toneof his voice having become serious and disconcertingly patient, 'you've just made things complicated.' He gave a small pause before continuing in a low, sharp voice 'And you will always belong to me; you are my mate.'

Usagi all but growled in frustration when she heard the stark possessiveness in his voice. She realized bitterly that he had no intention of giving her up, and that he would always see her as a possession, something to have and control. But these were modern thirtieth century times and she was worth more than that.

'I go by Usagi these days and I'm living a whole other life now. I'm happy, for once, and mate or no mate, I've promised myself to another man.'

Endymion snarled in rage at the statement, and made to get up, but the increasing pressure she put on his throat stopped him.

'You can give your self to any man Serenity,' his voice was fierce, impassioned, and hateful, 'but it is only with me that you'll ever be content. Already, I'm sure, you've felt a hollowness, an aching emptiness in your soul that not even the man who makes you happy can fill. That will only grow, without me that ache, that longing, will grow unbearable. It will make you miserable, drive you into a self destructing madness that you'll never come out of. I know Serenity, because I've been there, and it was only the thought of you that kept me sane. It was-'

Endymion cut off abruptly when she bit down on his neck hard enough to draw blood. He struggled against her weight and she bit down harder to keep him still, squeezing off most of his air supply. Only when he was close to loosing consciousness did she release her grip and take of running.

She ran blindly at a dizzying speed, trying to escape his words, and didn't dare glance behind her. She raced up residential streets not caring if someone spotted her, and slowed down only when she reached the alley behind her apartment. It was still fairly dark out, probably close to four thirty in the morning, and Usagi figured it would be just fine to change here.

She ran up the empty stairs of her apartment building feeling completely exhausted, and was only vaguely aware, or concerned, that she was naked and that anyone who happened to chance the stairs would get an eyeful. No one did though, and the hallway was just as empty.

She closed the door to her apartment softly after she had stepped inside, and leaned against it with a shuddering breath. When she felt calm enough and slightly more in control of her emotions she headed back toward the bedroom.

She crept into the bedroom feeling tremendously guilty, and thinking he'd be wide awake and staring at her withaccusing, knowing eyes. He wasn't though, of course, and she quickly moved to throw on another shirt and some underwear before crawling back into bed with him.

He turned over to wrap an arm around her waist and bring her to him. She came willingly, gratefully, and took comfort in the offered warmth he provided. She burrowed herself against his side, trying to ignore the deep ache inside her chest that cried out for something more. She prayed for sleep, wishing all her thoughts of Endymion away, wanting so badly to forget him, but all the while knowing this was not the last she would see of him.

* * *

I think you guys know the drill by now, so let me know what you think. Should I continue for gosh sakes? Tootles for now! 


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, here is the next installment, hope you enjoy, and thanks to those that left all their positive feedback and reviews. You guys keep me going! And lastly, sorry for all the grammar errors you're sure to come across. **

**O yeah, WARNING, lemon/smut ahead. **

**THE CHASE**

**CHAPTER 2**

**The Unexpected Confrontation Number 2**

* * *

It seemed no matter which way she turned or how many times she closed her eyes, Usagi could not grab onto the sleep she so desperately wanted, needed, anymore than she could push away her thoughts of Endymion and how close she had come to having sex with him right there in the park.

The heated images were still fresh and vivid in her mind; playing over and over again like a movie stuck on repeat. It kept her body in a highly sensitive state of arousal, and every little move Motoki made next to her had Usagi's skin tingling with sexual awareness.

She brought her hands to skim roughly over her tender skin, her breathing heady and slow. She looked to Motoki, whose back was to her, and the temptation to kiss along his exposed, broad shoulder was almost unbearable.

She glanced at the clock, which sat on a nightstand next her bed, and read 6:04 a.m. in large, blaring red numbers; just twenty-six minutes till she had to get up and get ready for work. It left plenty of time to enjoy an orgasm with her fiancé; maybe even two.

She slid over to him nimbly and molded herself fully against the length of his back. She laid hot, opened mouthed kisses across his right shoulder and along the hollow of his throat until she came to his ear and nipped at it playfully.

Motoki awoke in a sleepy haze of desire at Usagi's sensual prodding, and when cool, smooth fingers moved lithely across his stomach and then lower still, he turned over to face Usagi and quickly secure himself above her.

Usagi's breath caught, her heart rate accelerated, and her body quivered; for above her, oh so tantalizingly close, was Endymion. He gave her and arrogant smirk, and black bangs fell slightly into his overpowering, darkening blue eyes. They smoldered with such intensity, seeming to swallow her up, look right through her, and know every thing, every inch of her. He looked so rakishly handsome, almost devilish with his appeal of sex and confidence. He was enticingly sinful, and she would happily give up her soul to have him.

Her hands came up to lie flat atop his chest, and then she lightly let her fingers slide downward along his smooth skin; her eyes following. She watched with excitement as his stomach contracted and twitched to her touch. She stopped just underneath his waist, teasing him, and then brought her hands back up in the same method as before, slowly.

Her fingers came up to caress his neck and trace the hard lines of his chin. One finger moved over the rough texture of his lips, and he brought his mouth to close around it. Usagi gave a little mew of encouragement, and Endymion gave one hard suck before releasing her finger. And then in one swift movement she brought her hands to tangle in the thick, silky strands of his ebony hair and bring him to her.

He came without hesitation and brutally attacked her mouth. He tongue dove deep and when it pulled back she'd chase it with her own. He tasted of earth and maple, and she couldn't seem to get enough of it.

He pulled her head back by her hair roughly and kissed along her open throat and down toward her breast. He bit at her nipple with enough bite to cause that wonderful, heightened sensation of pleasure and pain. It was also in that same moment, where he had come to bring himself inside her.

She was left to cry out in rapture, almost overwhelmed with delightful sensations, as he filled so completely, so gloriously. He moved fast, and she rocked with him. He continued to suck on her right breast, his teeth scraping deliciously around her puckered nipple. His left hand moved to cup her ass so he could press her closer to him.

Usagi's own hands clawed at Endymion's back as flames of desire, and pain, and pleasure, and heat enveloped her. She was helpless at the moans and gasps and mews that escaped her mouth to convey her enjoyment; but it wasn't enough. She pulled him up and whispered sweetly against his ear.

"Faster. Please, I need to feel it, please."

He obliged, and she gripped at the bed sheets for some sort of stability. Both were rising to unknown heights, until Usagi was spinning in white stars. And then it was over, with both breathing hard and sweaty. Usagi reached up to wipe the beads of sweat from her brow as Endymion pulled up smiling but clearly exhausted.

And then she blinked, her body stilling in repulse, as Motoki now stared back at her. She felt sick, horrified, and angry at herself; but also a little scared. How had she forgotten about Motoki so easily? As if she had never know him?

But maybe the bigger question was why she had imagined Endymion in his place. How was it that he had felt so real? And why on earth did she wish he had been?

Motoki rolled off her, feeling her instant mood change and asked in concern.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

She turned away from him and let out a breath, she couldn't deal with his concerns right now, or his questions; or hers for that matter. So she'd ignore them for now.

"Nothing, I'm going to be late for work."

She got up with the sheet around her and walked swiftly toward the bathroom and the blessed shower. The water came down cold on her heated body, and it felt good as it beat down along her skin. She concentrated on washing her hair and soaping, and shaving, anything so didn't have to think on what had just happened.

She moved at a fast pace, drying quickly and throwing her wet hair in one long braid. She threw on from fitting black pants and a light blue, silk blouse, not bothering with the last two buttons because her fingers were trembling too much. She slipped on small black pumps with a flourish and was ready to get the hell out of here. She was almost out the bedroom door when Motoki spoke out to her from their bed he was still laying on.

"You know, I think you always be a mystery to me."

She stood there for minute, with one hand on the doorknob, and the other slipping around her neck; something she did when she was uncomfortable. The words had come out in an accepting way, like he could deal with the fact, but it was a sad, almost depressing sort of acceptance.

She was closing herself off, they both knew it, and Usagi didn't know how to stop herself. She'd been doing it all her life, instinct you could say, more or less because of a hateful father she'd grown up with for over a hundred years. She turned in his direction but avoided his eyes and looked to the carpeted floor.

"Well… I guess you'll never get bored with me." And then she walked out.

She heard him mutter an 'I guess' to himself, could feel him run a hand through his hair in frustration, and a part of her felt extremely guilty for that. Her answer hadn't been what he had wanted to hear; but she had already known it wouldn't before the words had left her lips.

* * *

She ended up being an hour late for work, but she'd also taken the long way and had stopped for breakfast; which consisted of two stale, powdered donuts and a grande, sugared coffee. She just knew she'd need the energy today, and she still hadn't decided if that was good, or bad.

She walked into the air-conditioned building completely unashamed that she was an hour behind. Her business meeting wasn't for another two hours, and she was well prepared for that, but more importantly she was her own boss, and she wasn't about to fire herself. She gave a polite nod to the receptionist, who smiled in return, and then proceeded to the elevator that would take her up to the fourth floor; her office.

Usagi stepped out at the ding, past her empty secretary's desk, and then stepped through a large oak door and into her office. It was spacious, with a long ornate desk as the main focal point. On top of it lay a cluttered mess of various things. The usual electronics, pictures, scattered papers, various paper weights and knickknacks, and lastly, a few empty candy bar wrappers. She'd never been a very organized person, and that was all she had to say about that.

There was a worn, black leather couch against the wall to her right and a matching cozy chair on the left in the corner. Both had tall lamps, the ones with various colored lights going off in all directions, placed next to them. Those had come in handy when work hours went late, and her desk chair became uncomfortable.

All the furniture rested on ugly, eye-displeasing beige carpet, and was surrounded by the same boring color as it covered the walls and ceiling. She swore one day she _was_ going to repaint all of it. Maybe a rich blue; a dark blue, like the color of his eyes.

She slammed her briefcase on the desk, causing loose papers to flutters, and cursed herself for thinking of _him_; Endymion. She feared that if she started thinking about him, then she wouldn't stop thinking about him. She sat down and let out a breath, trying to clear her mind as she groped inside her briefcase and pulled out a few folders full of contracts and proposals; she just had to stay busy.

Usagi scanned over the project papers listlessly, having read them a hundred times over by now, but she had to concentrate on something, anything, but him.

"Why," she asked herself quietly, "why can't I just forget about him."

All he did was cause trouble, even when he wasn't around. After all, he was reason behind the distress between Motoki and herself right now. Why couldn't he have just left her alone, turned the other way, let her be free of him?

She stopped herself, having realized that her thoughts were veering towards Endymion, and she all but mentally screamed at herself. And then she sighed, it pointless worrying about him now anyway. It wasn't as if he was going to come here, at this exact second, and-

Usagi's head came up suddenly, having a caught a scent, _his_ scent. It was strong; close. She swallowed her thoughts roughly and rose up instantly, her mind in a panic; and she gripped the edges of her desk hard enough to make the wood groan. He was here, on his way up in fact, standing tense and anxious in the elevator, and coming for her.

He was angry. But that was an understatement; he was furious, fairly radiating hot rage, to the point of killing anyone who got in his way of getting to her. She felt the tiniest hint of fear creep up her spine; it told her to run, to take flight.

It wasn't fear of him per say, she'd been caught in fury like this before. No, she could handle ugly tempers; it was more that she wasn't ready for a confrontation. Not after last night, not after this morning, it was just too soon.

But then there was the rest of her, that feral part of her, the wolf in her, who welcomed a confrontation. It anticipated a good fight; hell, the thought excited her. So she kept where she was, her body taunt and sensitive to his projecting emotions, and her eyes held a sharp intensity as she waited; ready for him.

And not a second later, the door slammed opened and into the wall with tremendous force. And she was left standing face to face with a wrathful Endymion for a second time in less than eight hours; with only the desk to separate them.

He was practically snarling, his eyes large and shinny with outrage. They had gone to a dangerous black that fairly sparkled with electricity. He stalked to the desk with menacing steps, and anyone else would have run for his or her life, but Usagi stood her ground.

She hadn't known what his intentions were, and so she wasn't prepared for what happened next, could only stare at him in wonder. He reached the desk and gripped the edges as she leaned back and stepped away on reflex.

He seemed to sway there for a minute, his body practically convulsing with pent up violence, and he let out something of a cross between a howl and a roar. She felt every hair on her body rise at the sound of it; and the bitter sadness that filled it left her completely empty inside.

She stood there, immobile, as the sound cut off and Endymion began to pick up random things off her desk and throw them across the room with enough force to smash them into pieces. She watched as her computer screen went flying, then sparked and fizzled in shambles that were scattered over the peach carpeted floor. It was followed by her printer, and then her scanner, and then an expensive vase filled with sunflowers.

"Did _he_ give these to you?"

She gave a start at his voice, but was too in shock to even comprehend what he had said, let alone answer him.

"Tell me, after he sent them to you, did you go home and _fuck_ him as a thank you? Was it good? Really, I'd like to know."

His sudden vulgar language woke her up quick, but before she could stop his next move he was already gripping the side of her desk and tossing it into her left wall. The wall dented in, plaster crumbled away, and her antique desk cracked and splintered into something unrecognizable.

"Do you _fuck_ him often?" He asked. "Because you sure did this morning."

His tone was nasty and biting as he stood there and looked through her. She was seething and embarrassed, and her shoulders were squared back with her hands in tights fists next to her hips ready to charge at him.

"I wonder if you ever get tired of him. It must get a little boring right? He is a mortal after all," he scoffed. "Maybe you should try me; I could make you scream."

She was absolutely horrified when her body reacted hotly to his words, openly excited by them. She wanted him; and she wanted him now.

He made to close the distance between them, in effort to make good on his promise, when the door breezed open. Both made to look at the intruder, one angry and the other grateful. It was Ami, Usagi's secretary, and fear clung to her like a second skin. Usagi didn't know whether to call her brave or just a fool, because despite her obvious fear she stood tall and challenging. Ami didn't dare glance at Endymion, but directly at Usagi, her eyes concerned.

"Mrs. Furuhata, would you like me to call security?"

Endymion shifted to look back at Usagi, he had funny smile on his face and his eyebrows were raised in mock daring. It said, 'go ahead, lets call security, will see what happens' and Usagi pursed her lips in acute irritation. She knew that security was useless and so did he; smug bastard.

She gave a tight smile to Ami and shook her head slightly, "No, that won't be necessary, we're," She brought dangerous eyes to Endymion, "done here."

She looked back to Ami, who seemed to have done a double take. Her eyes had bulked, which practically said, 'Are you sure? Cuz this dude just overturned a hundred and twenty pound desk like it was nothing. Security, who are armed with guns, just might be necessary.'

She opened her mouth as if she just might voice these opinions when Usagi's smile fell into a sharp stare that had Ami turning swiftly around and wordlessly walking away. Usagi rubbed at her temples against the headache forming and mentally cursed at the awful start to her morning.

She looked to Endymion wearily and was only slightly contented by the solemn look on his roguishly handsome face; the wind had been taken out of his sales too.

"What a child you are."

Endymion's eyes narrowed sharply at the calm accusation, but he stayed where he was and kept quiet; watching her. She continued, pacing slightly behind where her desk used to be as she spoke.

"Having a tantrum because someone else played with your toy? It's completely degrading, and I'm disgusted. And it all comes down to the fact that you're upset because I had sex with my fiancé? Boo Hoo."

She glanced up at Endymion then, "And what did coming here and making a scene prove anyway? What did it change?"

He didn't answer her, his eyes anywhere but on hers, and she felt only slightly placated by the fact that he now seemed to be uncomfortable and tight mouthed; almost petulant. He was upset, because they both knew that him coming here the way he had proved nothing; had changed absolutely nothing.

And then he caught her with his eyes, which were a penetrating, fiery blue; and if she wasn't careful she'd find herself drowning in them. They were lit with emotion as they searched her own, and Usagi was startled to realize that that emotion was pain.

"I won't apologize for my behavior Serenity, I can't; and you don't even understand how much knowing you were with him hurt me, do you? I mean physically hurt me."

It was her turn to look away, suddenly overwhelmed by guilt she couldn't explain, didn't want to explain. But damn it, she had no reason to feel guilty, this was her life and he had no say in it whatsoever. No say in what she did, and whom she did it with. She felt self-righteous anger rising within her, and she welcomed it; anger she could handle, anger she could ride.

"Where do you get off trying to make me feel guilty? You make it sound as though I've betrayed you in some horrible way, as if we were…lovers," she spat the word out like it was poison, "and we are far from that Endymion."

"I feel nothing for you but distain, will never feel anything other than that for you. And you don't have to accept that I love another man, that I want to spend the rest of my life with him, but you will respect it.

"The rules are different here, you can't just take what you want and expect it to be yours; and you can not have me.

"Now get out. Or I will call anyone and everyone I have too to make you."

Her vicious words had sliced at him, cut at the deepest part of him, and they hurt his heart to the point of physical pain; but he wouldn't let her see. He kept her hard gaze for a minute or two, as if to challenge 'this isn't over yet,' and then turned around abruptly and walked out the door. She didn't release her breath until he was quite a few miles off and gone. She let her muscles relax, and then proceeded to slink back in her chair feeling completely exhausted and shaken.

He'd given up too easily, especially after she had watched his face become stone at her heated words. A small, hopeful, delusional part of her mind tried to convince her that maybe she had gotten through to him, but she knew better.

Her words had probably bounced right off of him, and she'd have to be careful; he was right, this wasn't over yet. She groaned, her head falling despairingly into her hands, 'how was she going to get through this?' She'd been lying when she'd said that distain was all she felt for him, there was attraction, desire… passion. It would be so easy for him seduce her, hell, he'd proven that a few minutes ago and hadn't even been trying.

She stood up; she couldn't let him get to her like this, she had other and more important things to do than agonize over him.

She called in Ami with a yell as her intercom lay broken and in pieces among the rubble that now filled her once pristine office.

She came in, still worried, and now guilty. Her mouth dropped when she got a good look at the room.

"I'm so sorry I was late Mrs. Furuhata, my car broke down on the freeway just before my exit, if I hand been on time he wouldn't have gotten past the door."

Usagi waved her hand at Ami to dispel her worries and guilt. "First off, he was getting in one way or the other, and second I'm glad you weren't here to have to witness most of this. The important thing is that no one's hurt and everything that's broken here can be replaced."

She frowned, turning from Ami to the mess, and sighed, disheartened, "Except for the desk." And then she shrugged and looked back at Ami.

"I need you to make a list of all the new stuff will need to replace," she glanced back at the mess, "this crap; and then start shopping. I want you also to contact a few, small scale contractors and get cost quotes on how much to fix the damage to the room it self." She looked the drab walls over, "I wanted them repainted anyway; we need a little color in here."

With that said she walked to her desk chair, grabbing her briefcase that lay next it on the floor, and headed to the door. She turned to glance at Ami before she left.

"By the way Ami, it's Usagi. Call me Usagi."

Ami nodded to her in a daze, completely dumbfounded at how Mrs. Furuhata could brush this disaster off so easily. Ami could only stare as she gave a wink and then was gone.

Ami shook her head, there was only one thing to do, and that was to get started on what Mrs. Furuhata had asked of her. She ended up pulling out a pad of paper and a pen with an amazed smile; she sort of liked this job.

* * *

Usagi walked up to the door of her apartment completely soaked and not at all in the mood to deal with Motoki if he was still upset over this morning. Today, she assumed, had to be one of her worst in her human years. Whenever she thought it couldn't get any lower, it did.

She'd tried to stay sane and unaffected after the incident this morning in her office, but she just couldn't keep her shit together. She'd been late to the meeting with her new, very vital, very large client.

And then her presentation, the one she'd been so well prepared for, had come off as a total disaster. She ended up sounding like some incompetent airhead as she stumbled through her speech, forgetting parts of it, and then coming up short when questions were asked. It had come to an awkward end and she had left the boardroom feeling completely humiliated. They hadn't seemed very impressed as she shook their hands, and she was sure they would find themselves completely uninterested in her company. That was bad.

She'd gone back to her office to find the mess still securely where she had left it, and read the note that had been tact to her door. Apparently, all the contractors were held up with other jobs, and it would be over two weeks till she could hire one; typical. That was when the first rumble of thunder shook the sky, and rain began to pound hard against the large windows over looking Tokyo; perfect.

She'd spent the next eight hours going back and forth between Ami's desk, which had a whole, working computer on it, and her couch, in an effort to regrouping and re-strengthen her proposal. She tightened her research, called up various employees to gather their opinions and particular knowledge on certain aspects, and ran printing errands. She did all of this without a lunch break even.

She had called up A Southern Taste, the new restaurant she was hoping to still advertise for, and had asked if there might be a chance she could re-pitch her ideas; while reluctant they had agreed. That had been the only decent point to her day.

At five after nine she'd called a quits, fairly starving and pretty much exhausted; and the only positive thing about staying so busy was that she had been able to keep Endymion off her mind. Of course, he had been there just underneath the surface of her calculating thoughts, and giving off that tortured howl.

When she had gotten into her car she found that her gas gage read below zero; her car wasn't going anywhere. It took quite a few deep breaths to keep her from breaking down and attacking the car.

She had ended up waiting over ten minutes in the cold rain for a taxi to stop for her, and even better, her pervert of a driver kept glancing in the rearview to get a good look at her exposed bra through her soaked and see-through blouse.

Now here she stood, wet and miserable, and wanting nothing more than a thick, rare steak and a hot bubble-bath. She also wanted space, and if Motoki was smart, he'd keep his distance. Steeling herself, she reached for the door, which was unlocked, and pushed her way in.

She froze, her briefcase falling with a small thud to the floor, and just could not comprehend that Endymion was sitting, lazed back on her couch, with Motoki right next to him. Both held beers, and both tuned to smile at her, although Endymion's was a little more ruthless. She blinked, but the image before her didn't change, and her heart sunk.

Off in the distance thunder boomed loud and ominous; and to Usagi it signaled that her life had now completely gone to hell.

* * *

**Well……..**

**I thought this would be a good place to stop, and I would love to know what you are all thinking right now. Sometimes I feel like I get a little too carried away with description; do I? Or am I ok? Does it flow or kink? Did it keep you interested? Please let know what I could do better and what you like about the story. THANKS! **


	3. Author's Defense

I DO NOT SUPPORT PLAGIARISM/STEALING

**I DO NOT SUPPORT PLAGIARISM/STEALING!!**

This is NOT an update. And I'm so sorry to all of those whose hopes I've dashed at finding this an author's note/rant instead. I know it's been too long, but let me tell you nothing lights a fire under your butt then being accused of _PLARGIARISM_. To me, that is the lowest insult an author can receive, especially when you feel you're falsely accused, and it tarnishes a writer's reputation.

Just today, in a posted review, I was accused of plagiarizing, or rather "stealing" the plot (same difference to me) of the author, Kelly Armstrong's Bitten; and while her prologue and the first few paragraphs of my story are eerily similar, that is where the similarities end, because I can't plagiarize a book I have never read since its release by the Author.

After being accused, I immediately looked up the book online and read the prologue along with the summary at this sight, /aBitten.htm, and there are definitive major _**differences**_, despite the similarities, in my plot from just the first two chapters, as opposed to Armstrong's prologue.

Since my story is only two chapters in, my plot hasn't been fully established yet, and in my opinion it is _way_ too early to accuse a writer of stealing anything.

I make this statement to defend my honor as a writer, and I hope that my faithful readers will continue to read this story as it develops, because I do plan to continue it.

-Birds of Burgundy

P.S. All my other stories are original, 100 percent me. I have plenty of imagination and would never need to steal someone else's story. I'm completely against stealing someone else's work and claiming it as your own. If Armstrong feels I have stolen her story, plagiarized, or wronged her in anyway, THEN I will take this story down.

Also, if I had planned to steal her plot/book/story, I would have been updating more frequently, and I would not be struggling with a HUGE case a writers block on my third chapter.

So now I have been chagrined into updating as soon as possible with the proof this story is original and comes directly from my imagination.


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